Glen Harrington - 8th August 2018

Woking vs Oxford City
National League South
Saturday 11th August

After two dramatic finishes – first, the late penalty at East Thurrock United on the opening day, and then Tuesday evening’s superb comeback at home to St Albans – Alan Dowson’s side are on the verge of achieving something the Cards haven’t managed since 1989 – winning three consecutive league matches to start the season.

Oxford City are the team looking to prevent Woking’s new manager from getting off to the best possible start, and after kicking off their own campaign with just one point and no goals from their first two games, they’ll be extremely keen to start putting things right at the Laithwaite Community Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The last time the Cards managed to win their first two games of a new season was during the 2011/12 promotion campaign, when 5-0 victories over Sutton United and Hampton and Richmond Borough respectively, were followed by back-to-back goalless draws against Boreham Wood and Eastleigh.

Dowse will no doubt be hoping to go one better this weekend so come along if you can and cheer on the team to what we hope will be another three points!

Woking Team News

Dowse looks set to have almost a full squad to pick from on Saturday with Jack Cook and Duane Ofori-Acheampong now ready to make their first starts after picking up knocks in pre-season. Declan Appau is also available but Charlie Wassmer is still not fully fit.

To add to the manager’s selection headache, Reggie Young and Paul Hodges were once again the difference makers on Tuesday evening, as their pace and direct running caused a tiring St Albans defence no end of problems – with Ben Herd eventually paying the price and picking up a second yellow card. After two substitute appearances apiece both will be hoping to start.

That will naturally mean that Nicky Wheeler and Greg Luer, who replaced Fabio Saraiva last time out, could see their places under threat, whilst Dowse could also choose to rest striker Jake Hyde, whose endless running and fine hold-up play was eventually rewarded with Tuesday’s equalising goal. Match winner Ian Gayle has looked solid alongside Nathan Collier in a makeshift centre-back pairing thus far, but with a game at Wealdstone little more than 48 hours later, at least one could make way for the returning Cook.

Oxford City Team News

City have had a tough start to the new season, opening their campaign with a 0-0 draw against Eastbourne Borough, before being beaten 1-0 by Gloucester City in mid-week.

Against the Tigers, manager Mark Jones selected Craig King in goal; a back three of Udoka Godwin-Malife, Luke Ruddick and former Aldershot Town defender Joe Oastler, supported by wing-backs Eddie Jones and former Woking loanee Ben Jefford; in midfield was Zacariah McEachran, Reece Fleet and key man Rob Sinclair, who made over 100 appearances in three successful years with Forest Green Rovers and scored eight times for City from midfield last season.

Up front was Congolese forward Kabongo Tshimanga, who had some success with Boston United last year, and star player Matt Paterson who scored 28 in all competitions last season including 22 in the National League South – where he finished as joint second top scorer.

Last Time Out

Woking 1-0 Oxford City (FA Trophy – Saturday 6th February 2016)

In one of the Cards’ more memorable FA Trophy runs over the last few years, a run which was eventually halted by Grimsby Town at the quarter-final stage, a single Joe Quigley goal was enough to see off a dogged Oxford City side. Garry Hill’s team sat sixth in the National League at the time of this game but would lose their next seven league matches to fall away from play-off contention and other than two Surrey Senior Cup victories wouldn’t win again in any competition until mid-April. The Cards will be confident of avoiding a similar run this time around!

Our matchday programme, ‘Cardinals’, will be on sale for £3. Don’t forget to grab your copy on the way in! You’ll also be able to visit the club shop for more great offers.

Next Up

There will barely be time for Dowse and his team to assess Saturday’s result and performance before the next match gets started. The Cards travel to Wealdstone on Monday evening before taking on early pacesetters Hemel Hempstead Town the following Saturday. Our next home game is against Truro City on Saturday 25th August.